Persian Gulf

The Persian Gulf, one of the most critical bodies of water, is positioned in the heart of the Middle East. Located in southwestern Asia, it separates the Arabian Peninsula from Iran (formerly called Persia).

It connects with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea through the Strait of Hormuz, which is 30 to 60 miles (48 to 96 kilometers) wide.

The Persian Gulf and its coastal areas are the world's largest single source of crude oil. Therefore powerful naval forces from several countries remain in its waters to protect the flow of oil to the rest of the world, especially considering that the Persian Gulf supplies most of the world's energy needs.

War:

The Persian Gulf has been the focus of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers.

In 1991, the Persian Gulf again was the background for what was called the "Persian Gulf War" or the "Gulf War" when Iraq invaded Kuwait; although despite the name this conflict was primarily over land.